Receiver for wireless telegraphy.



PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905.

H. S. BLACKMORE. RECEIVER FOR WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY8. 1901.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RECEIVER FOR WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

Application filed May 8, 1901. Serial No. 59,297,

To all whom it 1% my concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY SPENCER BLAcK- MORE, acitizen of the United States, residing at 206 South Ninth avenue, Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Receivers for Wireless Telegraphy; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to produce an apparatus whereby the passage of electric waves or rays produced by the discharge of high-tension or high-frequency electric currents may be recorded, or, what may more properly be termed, a detector; and it consists in separating two electrodes communicating with terminals of a battery, from each other, by a material which is of, relatively high electrical resistance under ordinary conditions, but which, when exposed to the action of said rays, becomes a conductor and lets the current pass from one electrode or terminal to the other, the passage of such current, at such times as the apparatus is affected by the aforesaid waves or rays, being indicated by a telegraphic sounder or similar device interposed in the circuit.

The apparatus which I prefer to employ for the purpose is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section; Fig. 2, a cross-section on the lines 02 w of Fig. 1; and, Fig. 3, an enlarged view of a section showing the two electrically-conductive electrodes or terminals separated by a material of greater resistance capable of becoming more conductive when affected by the passage of high-frequency electrical waves or rays.

The letters A and B designate the electric terminals of the electric conductors or electrodes which are preferably made of aluminium, and preferably of different sizes, that one may fit within the other and at the same time have an interposing space of limited width, as shown at O. The electric terminals or electrodes are preferably cylindrical in form with dome-shaped top 6, Z) and open bottom, ground flat, so as to rest air-tight upon the base. The space 0 between the electric terminals or electrodes is filled with a material D capable of becoming more conductive upon the passage through or when affected by high-frequency electric waves or rays, and the parts described are then secured in their relative positions by a base-plate E, having an annular flange F which is interiorly screw-threaded to engage like threads surrounding the open end of the terminal A. The electrode or terminal B is somewhat shorter than A in order that the annular insulator G, of rubber or other insulating and yielding material, may be interposed between its rim and the base-plate E, as shown in Fig.1. The base-plate is provided exteriorly with a central boss I having a screwthreaded socket to receive a rod, or other suitable suspending agent or device not necessarily shown, and at opposite sides of this boss the base-plate is provided with bindingposts 2', t", having the wires 70, is, for communicating with the electric terminals. The binding-post i being insulated from the baseplate by the insulation Z, a wire we connecting the inner end of the binding-post with the inner electric terminal B. It is well known that aluminium allows the high-frequency electric waves or rays to pass through it as freely as light passes through transparent glass, while at the same time rays of light will not pass through the aluminium; I therefore prefer to employ conductors or terminals of aluminium separated by a stratum or film of a substance such as selenium. Selenium although a substance of high ohmic resistance in the dark becomes transformed into a less electricallyresistant substance when exposed to light and also to high-frequency electrical waves or rays. Therefore by separating two electric terminals of aluminium from each other by a stratum or film of selenium in such a manner that the light cannot reach the selenium-resister, the current-circuit between the terminals will be broken; but when high-frequency electric waves or rays reach the device they pass readily therethrough and excite the selenium, reducing its electrical resistance and the current passes therethrough between the electrodes just so long as the selenium is affected by the waves or rays which can be recorded by a telegraphic sounder or other recording device interposed in the primary circuit thus established. In recording the duration of the high-frequency electric waves or rays by means of the receiver herein described, I prefer to connect the wires [0, 7a, with the terminals of a primary battery L having interposed in the circuit a sounder S. It can be seen that by interposing in the circuit of a primary battery a sounder and receiver of the character described, when the selenium interposed between the aluminium terminals is acted upon by the high frequency waves or rays, it becomes a better conductor and completes the circuit, thereby actuating the telegraphic sounder in the primary circuit simultaneously with the duration of the high-frequency waves or rays affecting-the selenium, lowering its ohmic resistance and completing the circuit. This may also be used as a relay for discharging other high-frequency wave or ray transmitters by interposing the high-frequency wave or ray generating device in circuit instead of the sounder S actuated by the current of the primary battery. If the apparatus is located at intervals the high-frequency receiver may be suspended at high altitudes by means of balloons or other devices and the effect of the high-frequency currents at these altitudes reproduced by the action of the current from the primary battery at points nearer the earths surface, thus obviating the difficulty experienced in overcoming the curvature of the earth in transmitting electrical waves or rays long distances, it being noted in the case of its employment in relay-stations that the discharge of asecond wave or ray transmitter is actuated by the current from the primary battery induced by the action of the high-frequency waves or rays of the first transmitter on the receiver suspended at high altitudes.

I do not desire to confine myself to the specific form of apparatus shown but reserve the right to make all such alter ations in shape and construction as may come within the scope of my invention, which consists of a high-frequency electric wave or ray recorder, or what may more properly be termed a detector, composed of two electrically-00nductive terminals separated from each other by a substance of relatively high electrical resistance capable of having its resistance lowered when exposed to the action of electrical rays of high frequency and capable of automatically regaining ohmic resistance when no longer under the influence of the high-frequency waves or rays, and interposing the device by means of its terminals in an electric circuit provided with a means for generating an electric current and a means for recording the passage of the primary current through the circuit or a means for reproducing high-frequency electrical waves or rays during the passage of the primary current through the circuit, thereby operating as a relay.

It will be noted that the receiver constructed as hereinbefore set forth apparently has the character of a condenser having interposed, between metallic plates, a dielectric substance capable of having its resistance reduced when subjected to the action of high-frequency electric currents and which substance automatically regains ohmic resistance upon the disappearance of the high-frequency electric disturbance,the metallic plates of the receiver acting to assist the substance interposed between them in more rapidly regaining ohmic resistauce upon the disappearance of electrical disturbance affecting the same by absorbing, abstracting, or dissipating energy therefrom originally taken from or induced by the pres ence of the electrically-disturbing energy.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising two electrically-conductive terminals, a material of relatively higher resistance, capable of having its resistance lowered when exposed to the action of electrical rays of high frequency and capable of automatically regaining ohmic resistance, interposed between the conductive terminals, means whereby the said material of variable ohmic resistance is excluded from the action of visible light, and means whereby the conductive terminals may be interposed in an electrical circuit.

2. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising two electrically-conductive terminals, one of which is aluminium, a material of relatively higher resistance, capable of having its resistance lowered when exposed to the action of electrical rays of high frequency and capable of automatically regaining ohmic resistance, interposed between the conductive terminals, means whereby the said material of variable ohmic resistance is excluded from the action of visible light, and means whereby the conductive terminals may be interposed in an electrical circuit.

3. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising two metallic terminals, a material of relatively higher resistance, capable of having its resistance lowered when exposed to the action of electrical rays of high frequency and 'capable of automatically regaining ohmic resistance, interposed between the metallic terminals, means whereby the material of variable ohmic resistance is excluded from the action of visible light, and means whereby the metallic terminals maybe interposed in an electrical circuit.

4. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising two aluminium terminals, a material of relatively higher resistance, capable of having its resistance lowered when exposed to the action of electrical rays of high frequency and capable of automaticall y regaining ohmic resistance, interposed between the aluminium terminals, means whereby the material of variable ohmic resistance is excluded from the action of visible light, and means whereby the aluminium terminals may be interposed in an electrical circuit.

5. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances,comprising two electrically-conductive terminals, selenium interposed between the conductive terminals, means whereby the selenium is excluded from the action minals, selenium interposed between the aluof visible light, and means whereby the conductive terminals may be interposed in an electrical circuit.

6. -An apparatus for indicating electrical distu rbances,comprisin g two electrically-conductive terminals, one of which is aluminium, selenium interposed between the conductive terminals, means whereby the selenium is excluded. from the action of visible light, and means whereby the conductive terminals may be interposed in an electrical circuit.

7. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising two metallic terminals, selenium interposed between the metal- 15 he terminals, means whereby the selenium is excluded from the action of visible light, and means whereby the metallic terminals may be interposed in an electrical circuit.

8. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising two aluminium terminium terminals, means whereby the selenium is excluded from the action of visible light, and means whereby the aluminium ter- 2 5- minals may be interposed in an electrical circuit.

9. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances,comprising two electrically-conductive plates, a stratum of material of relatively higher resistance, capable of having its resistance lowered when exposed to the action of electrical rays of high frequency and capable of automatically regaining ohmic resistance, -interposed between the conductive plates, means whereby the said material of variable ohmic resistance is excluded from the action of visiblelight, and means whereby the conductive plates may be interposed in an electrical circuit.

10. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising two conductive plates, one of which is aluminium, selenium interposed between the conductive plates, means whereby the selenium is excluded from the action of visible light, and means whereby the conductive plates may be interposed in an electrical circuit.

11. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising two aluminium plates, a stratum of material of relatively higher resistance, capable of having its resistance lowered when exposed to the action of electrical rays of high frequency and capable of automatically regaining ohmic resistance, interposed between the aluminium plates, means whereby the said material of variable ohmic resistance is excluded from the action of visible light, and means whereby the aluminium plates may be interposed in an electrical circuit.

12. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising an inner and outer electrically-conductive terminal of cylindrical form, each having a dome-shaped top, a separating stratum of material, capable of having its resistance lowered when exposed to the action of electrical rays of high frequency and capable of automatically regaining ohmic resistance, interposed between the said conductive terminals, means whereby the material of variable ohmic resistance is excluded from the action of visible light, and means whereby the conductive terminals may be interposed in an electrical circuit.

13. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising an inner and outer electrically-conductive terminal of cylindrical form, one of which is aluminium, each having a dome-shaped top, a separating stratum of material, capable of having its resistance lowered when exposed to the action of electrical rays of high frequency and capable of automatically regaining ohmic resistance, interposed between the said conductive terminals, means whereby the material of variable ohmic resistance is excluded from the action of visible light, and means whereby the conductive terminals may be interposed in an electrical circuit. Y

14. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising two aluminium plates, a stratum of selenium interposed between the aluminium plates, means whereby the selenium is excluded from the action of visible light, and means whereby the alumini-- um plates may be interposed in an electrical circuit.

15. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising an inner and outer electrically-conductive terminal of cylindrical form, each having a dome-shaped top, a separating stratum of selenium interposed between the said conductive terminals, means whereby the selenium is excluded from the action of visible light, and means whereby the conductive terminals may be interposed in an electrical circuit.

16. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising an inner and outer electrically-conductive terminal of cylindrical form, each having a dome-shaped top, aseparating stratum of material capable of having its resistance lowered when exposed to the action of electrical rays of high frequency and capable of automatically regaining ohmic resistance, interposed between the said conductive terminals, a base-plate adapted to connect withthe open end of the outer terminal, an annular insulator interposed between the inner terminal and the base-plate, and binding posts and wires communicating with the electrical terminals, as set forth.

17 An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising an inner and outer electrically-conductive terminal of cylindrical form, each having a dome-shaped top, a separating stratum of selenium interposed between the said conductive terminals, a baseplate adapted to connect with the open end of the outer terminal, an annular insulator interposed between the inner terminal and the base-plate, and binding posts and wires communicating with the electric terminals, as set forth.

18. An apparatus for indicating electrical disturbances, comprising a primary electric circuit having interposed therein a receiving device of the character herein before set forth, together with a means for recording and reproducing electrical waves or rays acting upon the receiver whereby the circuit is completed, thereby actuating the recording or reproducing device.

19.v A detector for electrical disturbances, comprising a device having as an element thereof a material of relatively high electrical resistance, capable of having its resistance lowered when exposed to the action of electrical rays of high frequency and capable of automatically regaining ohmic resistance, and means for excluding visible while admitting invisible rays of energy.

20. A detector for electrical disturbances, comprising a device having as an element thereof a material of relatively high electrical resistance, capable of having its resistance lowered when exposed to the action of electrical rays of high frequency and capable of antomatically regaining ohmicresistance, means whereby the material is excluded from the action of visible light, and means for transmitting, indicating, or recording the effects of such electrical rays.

21. A relay for use in wireless telegraphy, containing a substance of relatively high resistance, capable of having its resistance lowered when exposed to the action of electrical rays of high frequency and capable of automatically regaining ohmic resistance, substantially as described.

22. A detector for indicating electrical disturbances, including a substance capable of varying and regulating its conductivity when acted upon by variable lines of force, and automatically increasing its ohmic resistance when no longer under the influence of such force.

23. The combination in a receiver for wireless telegraphy, of an actuating element consisting of a substance capable of having its ohmic resistance lowered when exposed to the action of high-frequency energy and automatically regaining ohmic resistance on the disappearance of such energy, associated with a substance capable of absorbingor abstracting the energy taken from or induced by the electrically-disturbing energy, thereby assisting the substance in naturally regaining ohmic resistance.

24. The combination in a receiver for wireless telegraphy, of an actuating element consisting of selenium, associated with a substance capable of absorbing or abstracting the energy taken from or induced by the electrically-disturbing energy, thereby assisting the selenium in naturally regaining-ohmic resistance.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY SPENCER BLACKMORE.

Witnesses:

H. N. JENKINS, WARREN C. STONE. 

